manchmal
/ˈmançmaːl/
The German word for 'sometimes' is manchmal.
manchmal is used to describe things that happen on certain occasions, but not always. It is the most common and straightforward way to express 'sometimes' in German.
Meaning: on certain occasions, but not always (adv)
How does it change in a sentence?
If you place manchmal at the beginning of a sentence, the verb must immediately follow it because of the V2 word order rule in German.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈmançmaːl/
Did you know?
- If a German speaker wants to say 'sometimes' in the sense of 'once in a while', they might use the phrase ab und zu, which literally means 'off and to'.
- The word manchmal is composed of manch, an old form of 'many', and Mal, meaning 'time'. Literally, it translates to 'many a time'.
- If you want to say 'every now and then' with more emphasis, you can use hin und wieder. While manchmal is a single word, this idiomatic phrase uses 'there and again' to express the same idea.
Examples in context
- Manchmal ist es so.It's like that sometimes.This sentence is useful for showing how to use manchmal to describe a state of being.Tatoeba #6183629 by ruth_tatoeba, translation #11163466 by sundown
- Tom ist manchmal so.Tom is like that sometimes.This sentence shows how manchmal describes a person's behavior.Tatoeba #8656336 by Melang, translation #8369513 by CK
- Das macht sie manchmal.She does that sometimes.This sentence illustrates how to use manchmal to describe an action someone performs.Tatoeba #6864420 by benbika, translation #6854059 by Hybrid
- Gelegentlich besuche ich Museen.Sometimes I visit museums.
- Ich treffe ihn von Zeit zu Zeit.I meet him from time to time.
- Ab und zu esse ich Schokolade.Sometimes I eat chocolate.
- Manchmal gehe ich ins Kino.Sometimes I go to the cinema.
- Ab und zu spiele ich Videospiele.Sometimes I play video games.
- Zuweilen mache ich einen Spaziergang im Park.Sometimes I take a walk in the park.
- 713 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends are talking about their eating habits.
- SarahIsst du manchmal Fleisch?Do you sometimes eat meat?
- LukasJa, aber ich bin meistens Vegetarier.Yes, but I am mostly a vegetarian.
- SarahIch esse auch manchmal Fleisch.I also sometimes eat meat.
- LukasDas ist völlig okay.That is completely fine.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “sometimes” translations and entries manchmal, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries manchmal, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
